Eminem's new album, my thoughts.
I don't normally talk about music, but I wanted to talk about this.
Eminem is an interesting artist to say the least, especially in the last year. You can't talk about his latest album "Recovery" with out talk about his last album "Relapse". And you can't talk about "Relapse" without taking his career into account.
For me, Eminem is one of those artist who's albums I buy the day of release. I was surprised when I picked up "Relapse" to hear many of my friends, even rap fans say "Eminem? Really? Is he still any good?" As if he was a passing fad from high school. Like I picked up the most recent Eiffel 65 album. I'd argue that among the people Eminem came up with in the last 90's early 00's, he's one of the few that is still musically relevant. Kid Rock is now a spokes person for Jim Bean, no one's seen Limp Bizkit for quite some time (Though Durst did appear on Tom Green's talk show recently and that was interesting.) Korn has lost two members (one to religion, the other to hand problems) and isn't as well regarded as they once were, System of a Down has broken up, Britney Spears is nothing but a tabloid seller and so on. Eminem is one of the few artist from that era that matters still and still has something to say. By the way, who would have guess in 99 that Eminem and Justin Timberlake would be the two artist still relevant?
In 1999 when "The Slim Shady LP" hit (I was in 7th grade at the time), Eminem was the artist everyone was talking about. "Who is this guy?" was the question on most people's minds. His career would, of course, blow up, becoming not just the biggest rapper in the world, but for a time the biggest recording artist. He even went on to make a rather good movie (Yes "8-mile" is a good movie, which shouldn't be a surprise with Curtis Hansen behind the camera. Don't believe me? Go check it out again.) In 2005 when "Encore" came out, Eminem said he was taking a break, there was rumors that he was actually retiring. From 2005 to 2009 Eminem went to got re-married and re-divorced from his ex-non ex-exagain wife Kim. His friend "Proof" was killed, and he went to rehab for an addiction to pain killers and sleeping pills.
How would Eminem fair after four years? Rap may not have changed that much it would seem. But in four years Kanye West went from being "The Jesus walks guy" to one of the biggest rappers ever. Jay-Z retired and came back. Dr. Dre was now selling Dr. Pepper and head phones, and Ice Cube was now a family movie star and 30 for 30 documentary director. How would Eminem fair? When "Relapse" came out. It seems everyone was expecting to get a hard hitting documentary style album. What came out was Eminem trying to reclaim his spot in some ways. Doing what he did best. The album had skits, songs about murder, ragging on the new pop stars. But it lacked something, and in the end that might have been truth. "Relapse" is by no means a bad album, but it feels like the album he made trying to find his footing once again. In fact Eminem himself has said that "Relapse" was a disappointment to him creatively.
Now a year later, we have "Recovery". This is that soul searching, personal piece I believe many expected "Relapse" to be. There's no jokes, he doesn't do any funny songs and in fact only referes to himself as "Silm Shady" only a few times, the songs featuring other artist aren't the predictable 50 cent, Dre, or other artist Eminem is associated with. This is an album straight from the heart, he talks about his addictions, his pain and the loss of his best friend. This album may not work for all rap fans, because it almost isn't a rap album. There's a lot of interesting pop like numbers. It's more like Eminem is doing straight poetry with music playing in the background as opposed to hip-hop. The fury and pain is back in his voice, his heart is back in it and he's got something to say once again. He's not singing about a party, or how rich he is, doesn't mention any pop stars and I don't believe mentions his mom once.
That's not to say the whole album works, a few tracks here and there aren't as great as others. But overall I'd say it's a very satisfying album and it's a look into the man. But the best tracks are the ones where you can tell his heart is in it. "Talkin' 2 Myself" is Eminem talking to his fans, "25 to Life" is a song about his frustration with his relationship to rap music, "Love the Way You Lie" ft. Riahnna about abusive relationships (which I'm sure cant be lost on anyone as to why Riahnna is on the track with him) and finally (and maybe the best song on the album) "You're Never Over" a dedication to his fallen friend Proof. He even sings on the album a bit, though he is by no means a singer, I didn't mind it because it was his way of getting the message across in other means beyond rapping. I know a lot of rap fans hate the singing, but again I don't know how much of this is a rap album, as much a documentary into the person set to music. Different kinds of music, not just beats.
You can almost look at Eminem's albums in pairings of two. "Slim Shady" and "Marshall Mathers LP" is the introduction of the man and him perfecting his craft. "The Eminem Show" and "Encore" are the big years, the excess years, and (even by his own admission) the drug years. Now with "Relapse" and "Recovery" we get the return of the man and his explanation as to where he went. This feels like the album that will be the one people point to and say "This is when he changed as an artist." Some people may not like the change, but in a way, you got to respect it. Is this his best album? No. "The Marshal Mathers LP" is by far his best album and him at his most furious, he was still fighting to get into the rap game and get out of the sophomore slump. But "Recovery" is by far his most ambitious album, his most personal album and more then worth the listen and purchase.
Rating B+
Eminem is an interesting artist to say the least, especially in the last year. You can't talk about his latest album "Recovery" with out talk about his last album "Relapse". And you can't talk about "Relapse" without taking his career into account.
For me, Eminem is one of those artist who's albums I buy the day of release. I was surprised when I picked up "Relapse" to hear many of my friends, even rap fans say "Eminem? Really? Is he still any good?" As if he was a passing fad from high school. Like I picked up the most recent Eiffel 65 album. I'd argue that among the people Eminem came up with in the last 90's early 00's, he's one of the few that is still musically relevant. Kid Rock is now a spokes person for Jim Bean, no one's seen Limp Bizkit for quite some time (Though Durst did appear on Tom Green's talk show recently and that was interesting.) Korn has lost two members (one to religion, the other to hand problems) and isn't as well regarded as they once were, System of a Down has broken up, Britney Spears is nothing but a tabloid seller and so on. Eminem is one of the few artist from that era that matters still and still has something to say. By the way, who would have guess in 99 that Eminem and Justin Timberlake would be the two artist still relevant?
In 1999 when "The Slim Shady LP" hit (I was in 7th grade at the time), Eminem was the artist everyone was talking about. "Who is this guy?" was the question on most people's minds. His career would, of course, blow up, becoming not just the biggest rapper in the world, but for a time the biggest recording artist. He even went on to make a rather good movie (Yes "8-mile" is a good movie, which shouldn't be a surprise with Curtis Hansen behind the camera. Don't believe me? Go check it out again.) In 2005 when "Encore" came out, Eminem said he was taking a break, there was rumors that he was actually retiring. From 2005 to 2009 Eminem went to got re-married and re-divorced from his ex-non ex-exagain wife Kim. His friend "Proof" was killed, and he went to rehab for an addiction to pain killers and sleeping pills.
How would Eminem fair after four years? Rap may not have changed that much it would seem. But in four years Kanye West went from being "The Jesus walks guy" to one of the biggest rappers ever. Jay-Z retired and came back. Dr. Dre was now selling Dr. Pepper and head phones, and Ice Cube was now a family movie star and 30 for 30 documentary director. How would Eminem fair? When "Relapse" came out. It seems everyone was expecting to get a hard hitting documentary style album. What came out was Eminem trying to reclaim his spot in some ways. Doing what he did best. The album had skits, songs about murder, ragging on the new pop stars. But it lacked something, and in the end that might have been truth. "Relapse" is by no means a bad album, but it feels like the album he made trying to find his footing once again. In fact Eminem himself has said that "Relapse" was a disappointment to him creatively.
Now a year later, we have "Recovery". This is that soul searching, personal piece I believe many expected "Relapse" to be. There's no jokes, he doesn't do any funny songs and in fact only referes to himself as "Silm Shady" only a few times, the songs featuring other artist aren't the predictable 50 cent, Dre, or other artist Eminem is associated with. This is an album straight from the heart, he talks about his addictions, his pain and the loss of his best friend. This album may not work for all rap fans, because it almost isn't a rap album. There's a lot of interesting pop like numbers. It's more like Eminem is doing straight poetry with music playing in the background as opposed to hip-hop. The fury and pain is back in his voice, his heart is back in it and he's got something to say once again. He's not singing about a party, or how rich he is, doesn't mention any pop stars and I don't believe mentions his mom once.
That's not to say the whole album works, a few tracks here and there aren't as great as others. But overall I'd say it's a very satisfying album and it's a look into the man. But the best tracks are the ones where you can tell his heart is in it. "Talkin' 2 Myself" is Eminem talking to his fans, "25 to Life" is a song about his frustration with his relationship to rap music, "Love the Way You Lie" ft. Riahnna about abusive relationships (which I'm sure cant be lost on anyone as to why Riahnna is on the track with him) and finally (and maybe the best song on the album) "You're Never Over" a dedication to his fallen friend Proof. He even sings on the album a bit, though he is by no means a singer, I didn't mind it because it was his way of getting the message across in other means beyond rapping. I know a lot of rap fans hate the singing, but again I don't know how much of this is a rap album, as much a documentary into the person set to music. Different kinds of music, not just beats.
You can almost look at Eminem's albums in pairings of two. "Slim Shady" and "Marshall Mathers LP" is the introduction of the man and him perfecting his craft. "The Eminem Show" and "Encore" are the big years, the excess years, and (even by his own admission) the drug years. Now with "Relapse" and "Recovery" we get the return of the man and his explanation as to where he went. This feels like the album that will be the one people point to and say "This is when he changed as an artist." Some people may not like the change, but in a way, you got to respect it. Is this his best album? No. "The Marshal Mathers LP" is by far his best album and him at his most furious, he was still fighting to get into the rap game and get out of the sophomore slump. But "Recovery" is by far his most ambitious album, his most personal album and more then worth the listen and purchase.
Rating B+